[Mrs. B.S. Roberts]

I am about to sound like my grandmother, “when I was in highschool (late 70’s) Honor Society was about grades and character”.

Both of my kids were rejected from National Honor Society. They both had the grades. My son is an Eagle Scout but was told that his Eagle Scout Project (improving a public town park) didn’t count. His leadership roles in his BSA Troop didn’t count. Being on the Wrestling Team didn’t count because he wasn’t a captain. He also worked 4 to 5 days a week to raise money for college which left no time for other activities beyond BSA and wrestling - and homework. He was in the band and orchestra too. But still to them - NOT good enough.

My daughter with an even higher grade point average was INVITED to join NHS; but, was rejected because she only took private piano lessons and worked EVERY SINGLE DAY AFTER SCHOOL as a teaching assistant in a pre-school/daycare center to raise money to go to college to be a teacher. Even volunteering at religious school didn’t count.

Even without being in NHS they both were accepted to college by October 1st of their senior year of high school.
Life experience counts with admission directors!

I told my kids we didn’t care if they wore the special NHS ribbon with their cap and gown on high school graduation day. My husband and I could not be more proud of them. They are both in college thriving. They both have work experience which in this economy helps them get summer jobs every year. And most importantly, because they contribute to their college educations they OWN their educations and, unlike a lot of their classmates, they appreciate the monetary sacrifice the opportunity of college is to our family.

My advice to other parents: Teach your kids what is REALLY important. Teach them a work ethic; teach them to volunteer or join activities that mean something to them NOT what is important to a committee that hands out ribbons.

[MacMattico]

I'm with you. It should be about character and grades. We live in a small community and I know several of the kids who got in. I know most of them probably deserved to get in. Several of their parents have told me to pursue the matter because they don't understand why some of the other kids didn't get in, and they don't want to be part of a “shady” organization. There was no verification process and it is a given a couple of kids must have lied on the application because they don't do anything, plain and simple and I don't now how the school wouldn't want to verify what was written down. One parent told me her son got in and she didn't even know he had applied or what he could possibly have used as leadership or community service! His own parent told me this!

I called the adviser and was told decisions were final and that's it. I said that sounds real fair, if it were a disciplinary problem my daughter would have rights and due process. But being a smart, good kid-- no such rights. She out right lied to me and when I quoted from the NHS handbook, she then had nothing to say.

I know it's not the end of the world, but it's the principle of the thing to me.